G0513X2BF questions

I just took delivery of a grizzly g0513 series saw, a mobile base for it (shop fox), and am now in the process of setting up the saw in my shop, assembling the mobile base, and preparing to buy some blades. I've read through the bandsaw blades stickied post, now know why I had such a short life from the sweedish steel blades I used on my old saw, but I have a few questions and I've started putting things together (and I'm sure I'll get more as I continue)

1) For the mobile base it seems that everyone is putting the wheels of the shopfox on the spine and brake sides of the saw with the fixed wheels perpendicular to the direction of cut. This requires a 3/4" bade for the lower door to clear the bolts on the base. Has anyone put them wheels on the door and motor side of the saw? This looks like it might provide a little more stability with a wider base, but some quick measurements make me thing I'd need to use a 1.5" shim for the door to clear the wheels.

2) I saw and now cannot find a post about blade width for these saws. It seemed the consensus was it can actually handle a 1" blade, but getting that blade on and off through the blade slot in the table is a pain. Is 3/4" the recommended max if you're going to swap blades regularly, or will I be fine with a 1" resaw blade? Can this saw actually tension a 1" .035 blade?

3) Looking at carbide resaw blades, it seems the laguna resaw king is a .025 band, but the lenox tri-master and woodmaster CT are .035 bands. With 17" wheels should I be using the .025? I don't cut veneers (or plan to), and I'm not sure if I should spend the money for carbide or just use carbon steel. At least with a 3/4 or 1" flex back any fatigue cracking would only be on a $20 blade. I'd need to invest in a drum sander I'm not sure I have shop room for before a super clean carbide resaw cut is important to me.

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Originally Posted by Myles Moran

2) I saw and now cannot find a post about blade width for these saws. It seemed the consensus was it can actually handle a 1" blade, but getting that blade on and off through the blade slot in the table is a pain. Is 3/4" the recommended max if you're going to swap blades regularly, or will I be fine with a 1" resaw blade? Can this saw actually tension a 1" .035 blade?

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I'm using Lenox FLEX BACK Carbon Steel 3/4" X .032" 2TPI for resawing and I'm very pleased with its performance.
Yes you can use 1" blades, but I don't see any advantage at least for what I resaw(4" hardwoods)and they are a few dollars more.
Plus the 1" will probably be .035" thick. The best prices on bands for me is "www.bandsawbladesdirect.com" Free shipping on $100 order.
YMMV, this is just my experience.

I have a couple of G0513 series saws. Both are on Shop Fox bases. The rubber wheels failed during a couple of moves. In fairness they are designed for moves around the shop not across driveways, into and out of trucks, etc. I replaced them with the steel ones Grizzly offers; they work well. Both mobile bases have a spacer of plywood to help things clear as they should. The saws are bolted to the bases through the plywood.

I have the foot pads and swivel casters at the front on one saw and at the rear on the other. I wanted to see which I preferred over time. Both configurations work well for me and I have not been inspired to change them to match although I can do that easily in my shop.

I went through many blade types and sizes early on. I find that with the saw well set up a 1/2" blade serves me better than wider blades for resaw. I use Laguna's Resaw King for this with good success. For stock that I want to get the very most out of possible I use a Woodslicer. Although I feel you get your money's worth out of them they do wear out so keep a couple on hand and restock as required. I still keep a few Timberwolf 2-3 skip tooth blades around for rough resaw and breaking down of material. These also have a limited life but cut quickly and reliably. For curved work I use Timberwolf 1/4" blades. They do a nice job and last long enough to make them worth their price.

I have read all the same stuff you have about other carbide or carbide-combination blades. I may give one of the others a try next time around. For this reply I only wanted to speak to things I have years of experience with.

I use a 3/4" blade on mine for breaking things down and resawing. I've not had a need for 1" and not sure if it would tighten it enough for me.

i have the saw. if get blades like the resaw king cant tension 1" blade properly. 3/4 works great.. . wonder how i know.. ..

Thanks for the information. I've got a lot to think about, but I think for now I'll buy a bunch of carbon steel blades before commiting to a carbide blade. That way I'm sure what size I want and will actually use.

Follow up question now that I have it all assembled and on the base. The blade tension knob wants to loosen under pressure from the spring. For example I took the stock blade up to number 4 on the scale with the flutter test, and if I immediately let go it would back off to 1, but if I held it and let it sort of "catch" it would stay, and hasn't moved during any test cuts. I looked at the parts diagram and everything matches up. I'm guessing this is a function of a brand new thrust bearing in the tension assembly that isn't clogged with sawdust yet, and once I do some cutting and the machine gets dusty there will be a bit more friction in the tension knob.

I would go with bimetal Lenox blades over carbon. The bimetal last a very long time and cost less than twice what a carbon blade will set you back. I have both a woodmaster (which I don't think comes in anything less than 1") and a diematser 1/2"x .035 3TPI that has lasted for a lot longer than any carbon blade I've owned. The diemaster is my workhorse blade. I even use it for light resawing when I just don't feel like swapping blades for a cut or two.

Wheels on the front and back can let you push the saw away from you as you push the work into the blade. But it does let you lock/unlock the front two easily, if you remember. I threw heavy iron junk in the base of my saw to add ballast down low.
Bill D

Tip: add "Bandsaw" to the tittle. Your title is meaning less and unsearchable to 90% or more of readers here. I only read it after a few days when I saw others had replied and it might be something of interest.
I had no idea Grizzly made such a big bandsaw. I thought 17" was their biggest.
Bill D

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Originally Posted by Bill Dufour

Tip: add "Bandsaw" to the tittle. Your title is meaning less and unsearchable to 90% or more of readers here. I only read it after a few days when I saw others had replied and it might be something of interest.
I had no idea Grizzly made such a big bandsaw. I thought 17" was their biggest.
Bill D

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I'm pretty sure that the G0513 is the 17" bandsaw. I own the same exact saw and have been extremely happy with it. I'm not a big Grizzly fan overall but my G0513x2b has been a great saw over the years. There are a couple things about it that I wish were different but overall this saw has been a real workhorse in my shop.

As far as blades go I would not recommend going with the 1" blade on this saw. They say the saw is rated for it and I bought one to use. Getting this blade on and off is not much fun and I also think tensioning this blade is not great for the saw. I have been extremely happy with 1/2" blades for most of my resawing. Lenox sells the 1/2" Diemaster in 4TPI which serves me well for most of my resawing. I do have their carbide Tri-Master in 3TPI but don't really care for the performance. I'm not real sure that I have this blade set up correctly as it runs a bit strange while resawing.

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Originally Posted by Tony Shea

I'm pretty sure that the G0513 is the 17" bandsaw.

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513mm is 20 inches so I thought this was a 20" saw.
Bill D

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Bill Dufour

Tip: add "Bandsaw" to the tittle. Your title is meaning less and unsearchable to 90% or more of readers here. I only read it after a few days when I saw others had replied and it might be something of interest.
I had no idea Grizzly made such a big bandsaw. I thought 17" was their biggest.
Bill D

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Grizzly also make a 19", 21" & 24" bandsaws